King Tut may have been more European than Egyptian

New research shows that half of all western European men are related to the Egyptian Pharaoh King Tutankhamun. CTV's Merella Fernandez discusses what's next in the research.

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This golden sarcophagus is part of the King Tutankhamen exhibit at the Art Gallery of Ontario.

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iGENEA - The Tutankhamun DNA Project

CTV News.ca Staff

Date: Tue. Aug. 2 2011 7:13 PM ET

Every other European male is related to King Tutankhamun, the celebrated boy pharaoh who ruled Egypt more than 3,000 years ago, according to researchers in Zurich.

Scientists at Zurich-based DNA genealogy center, iGENEA, say they have reconstructed the DNA profile of the pharaoh, his father Akhenaten and grandfather Amenhotep III.

The researchers didn't evaluate the DNA themselves; they say they made their findings "with the help" of a film made for the Discovery Channel.

The researchers say they believe King Tut belonged to a genetic profile group known as haplogroup R1b1a2. More than 50 per cent of all men in Western Europe belong to this genetic group as do up to 70 per cent of British men.

But among modern-day Egyptians, less than 1 per cent of residents belong to this haplogroup, according to iGENEA.

Researchers say it's likely that King Tut and Europeans share a common ancestor who lived in the Caucasus region about 9,500 years ago.

The geneticists were not sure how Tutankhamun's paternal lineage came to Egypt from its region of origin. They say that Tut's full paternal ancestry is unknown.

Along with the discovery, iGENEA made another announcement this week: it is now selling a DNA testing service for those who would like to know if they are related to King Tut. For between 139 and 399 euros, the company will conduct testing to find which modern-day European is the closest living relative of King Tut.

"The offer has only been publicized for three days but we have already seen a lot of interest," Roman Scholz, director of the iGENEA Centre, told Reuters.

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Cleopatra
said
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More surprises! He also liked to cross-dress and would roll out on the town dressed as Cher when he got a little wild on the streets of Ankoplotephiosirusaktenoramsesetirahrah. I miss that place it was really a cool city before the sand buried it!

Little Cousin Billy from Texarkana Trailer Park
said
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If he is related to Brits then it would be lovely to put one of those fastenators or frilly hats on his head like the Princess Bea wore at Kate and Wills weddin' . :-)

Edmonton_MN
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He probably is Irish like everyone else.

hamisic people
said
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Egyptians are the children of Ham the son of Noah.

Janelle
said
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I'm trying to imagine little King Tut sitting on his throne, adorn in his Egyptian head-dress, eye makeup stroking a wild Cheetah lounging beside him while drinking Earl Grey Tea, eating scones and cucumber sandwiches in front of the "telly" exclaiming bip, bip, cheerio when his horse wins the derby. What a blend of East meets West ..huh?

The Village Idiot
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I always thought he resembled Queen Elizabeth a little bit.

Gimmick for the intellectually challenged
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I'm just wondering if those of you celebrating that the Egyptian was a white guy read the article?Because this company did not actually test the DNA they created a marketing campaign based on WATCHING A MOVIE. This is a gimmick to sell their home DNA test and they know Caucasians want to believe they are the only rulers of the world and all great people in history were white Europeans.

James Tsu
said
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The all migrated from the Antartide before its sinking. Some went to Europe (basque, Druids, etc) other to Egipt, etc.

Phex
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Helga:

He was black by North American standards, as were all ancient Egyptians (though East Africans are distinct enough to form their own group). The first admixture came via Macedonian conquest, which included Tut's family. Hence, the R1B.

Moreover, the R1B haplotype is not European in origin but rather Turkic. It exists indigenously in China, India and Even Cameroon.

Haplogroups I and N are indigenous to Europe and are found primarily in Northern / Eastern Europe today.

Babalou
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He looks Greek to me!!!

RA MINHOTEP
said
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YOU EUROPEAN ARE SO DESPERATE FOR A PLACE IN OURSTORY YOU WERE IN CAVE AT THE TIME OF KING TUT HIS BLOOD LINE IS BLACK AND WE CAN PROVE IT

Pip
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Unlike Tuesday, I am aware that there were pharoahs for a thousand years or more before Alexander the Great. Vis a Vis Tut, though; this seems to be a blatant advertising campaign for their "rip me off, please" genetic testing service. Given that the population of Europe - and Egypt for that matter - was only a few millions two thousand years ago, it is hardly surprising that many Europeans and most British men belong to haplogroup R1b1a2. Simple population dynamics make that so.

Joe
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Mohamed:I don't believe anything written in the media.

shawbrooke
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It's clear from good research that populations have moved around quite a bit. Anybody who believes that people living in a specific region thousands of years ago looked like the population living there today may, or more likely may not, be correct. DNA testing will uncover lots of interesting things. The Middle East has been a crossroads for centuries.

Prince of Egypt
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To Nathan in Edmonton: "Modern Egyptian population likely draws their patrilineal descent from the muslim invasion in 700 A.D." Unfortunately, this is utter nonesense! The Muslim army that conquered Egypt was only 8,000 soldiers half of them left the country immediately after. Egypt at the time, according to historians, was over 2.5 millions! Most Egyptians are Muslims now because the vast majority of the population converted to Islam over the centuries. Actually, Egyptians, both Muslims and Christians alike, have many foreign blood as well because the country was invaded by the Persians, the Sudanese, the Libyans, the Greek, the Romans, the Arabs, the Mongols, and the Crusaders just to mention a few!

Tuesday
said
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The pharohs of Egypt are all descended from Alexander the Great's general Ptolemy I both of whom are from Macedonia which is part of Europe.

Prof. Pye Chartt
said
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Independent research that I've conducted indicates that 37% of obese North Americans are related to the Burger King.

Lorie
said
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If true, perhaps it lends a bit more evidence towards the "story" of Noah and the ark.

Thomas
said
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Poster "Ted's" ignorance is beyond belief! Since when did anyone in Canada pay royalties to Aboriginals? Treaty agreements are considerably different than paying royalties and as far as that goes, the Aboriginals got the bad end of that deal, wouldn't brag about that to loud or to the world human rights court. And it is hard to go forward healthy without reflecting on our past. Rednecks, we need to find a cure...

janfromnorthvan
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They are now selling DNA kits how interesting. Not only is their research based on a TV series but now they are going for profit. Rubbish! I am surprised it is getting any air play at all. But I guess there is asucker born e very minute as Pt Barnum or perhaps David Hanum stated,ironically also in relation to an archeological hoax.

Ted
said
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who gives a damn about a so called king of 3000 years ago. Next thing you know we will have to pay the decendants royalty like we do for the Natives of Canada today. How about we find a cure for Cancer or the common cold or perhaps a way to make water for Africa....stop wasting money on the past and lets look forward..ok?

David Fraser
said
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Do we really care?

nathan in edmonton
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Interesting story even if based on conjecture. Modern Egyptian population likely draws their patrilineal descent from the muslim invasion in 700 A.D.

Mohamed
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What a nice article !!!. It sounds for me like a big lie. since, they siad "Along with the discovery, iGENEA made another announcement this week: it is now selling a DNA testing service for those who would like to know if they are related to King Tut. For between 139 and 399 euros"

Which means there is a money behind the story.
I am originally from Egypt. It is very well known that all ancient Egyptian were almost black. Egypt still has a lot of black Egyptian people who lives at the south part which is called Nubaa.
Don't believe in everything written in the media.